ded a fair river trade.

The whole party was willing enough to go ashore, and the Rover boys
hired several carriages, in which all were driven around to various
points of interest.

"I'll tell you what I wouldn't mind doing," said Sam, while driving
around. "I'd like to get on horseback and take a trip out on the plains."

"Perhaps we can do that before this trip comes to an end," answered
Dick. "You must remember, we have a good part of our outing before us."

There was a parade in the town that day, and they watched this with
interest. Then the girls and the ladies went back to the houseboat,
leaving the boys to continue their rambles.

"I see some lumber rafts here," said Sam. "I wonder if that one
stopped here that tried to run us down?"

"It might be," answered Fred.

Dick was out buying some special supplies, and his errand took him
to a quarter of the town which was by no means of the better sort.
As he hurried along, he heard several voices in dispute.

"You must settle that bill at the hotel," a heavy voice was saying.

"You can't leave us until you do settle," said a second voice.

"I paid my bill! I am not going to pay for you--I didn't invite you
to come with me," came from a third person.

Dick thought he recognized that voice, and, looking in the direction,
was astonished to see Dan Baxter. The bully was in the hands of two
lumbermen, who held him by the arm.

"He must be in trouble," thought Dick, and he was right. Soon the
dispute waxed hot, and one of the men hit Baxter in the face.

"Stop that!" cried Dick, running up. "Stop it, I say!"

At the sound of his voice, the men started back in alarm.

"He must be the new sheriff," whispered one. "They say he looks like
a boy!"

"Then we had better light out," said the second lumberman, and on
the instant both took to their heels and disappeared around a corner.

When Dick reached Dan Baxter's side, he found the former bully of
Putnam Hall pale and much agitated. He, too, wanted to run away, but
Dick held him.

"So we meet again, Baxter?"

"Let go of me!" growled the bully.

"What are you doing here?"

"That's my business."

"What were the men doing?"

"They wanted me to pay their hotel bill for them, but I didn't propose
to do it."

"Do you know that Lew Flapp is under arrest?"

"I don't care."

"I think I'll have to have you arrested, too."

"Not much, Dick Rover!"

"You came down the river on that big lumber raft, didn'